What started as a simple complaint over appropriate labelling of wines from the West Bank now threatens to open up a wider debate over the Canada Israel Free Trade Agreement itself.

There were probably “high-fives” in the offices of B’nai Brith Canada after Israel appeared to have dodged a bullet a week ago over the issue of West Bank wines. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency had demanded that the Ontario Liquor Control Board stop selling wines produced in the West Bank which were labelled “Product of Israel”. B’nai Brith and others vigorously protested the ruling, arguing that the Canada Israel Free Trade Agreement (CIFTA) allows products from areas Israel controls to be sold as “Product of Israel”. CFIA was embarassed, and quickly reversed its decision.

B’nai Brith eagerly claimed victory, both on its own website and to the media.

But B’nai Brith may be having second thoughts about using the Canada Israel Free Trade Agreement as an argument as it has led others to examine the agreement itself.

...Dr. David Kattenburg, a child of Holocaust survivors and complainant in this case, argued, "It's an open and shut case. Just as Canadian consumers wouldn't want to find out that a wine labelled 'Made in France' is produced from grapes grown entirely in Romania, they should know that these wines are not produced from grapes from Israel."

But by July 13, the CFIA reversed its directive citing a provision in the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement (signed in 1996 under Liberal prime minister Jean Chretien) whereby Israel is to be considered "the territory where its customs laws are applied," rather than its internationally recognized borders.

As such, this provision in a 'free trade' agreement appears to have trumped Canadian foreign policy and a consumers' right to information on the origin of a good.

Please join us Friday July 28th in a massive gathering for Alaqsa in Downtown Vancouver at Vancouver Art Gallery 7:00 PM

The seizing of al Masjid Alaqsa is painful for every Muslim family and for their friends in the communtiy of humanity in every country in the world. Israeli forces have installed metal detectors, made entrance difficult and then temorarily closed Alaqsa Mosque, preventing Muslims from entering or praying there. Israeli attacks on worshippers have also shed blood in the courtyard of the holy site.

The West Bank is occupied, Gaza is blockaded and becoming unlivable. Now, in the midst of these attacks on the Muslim Holy Site the UN and the International Community are mute. Most media have little to say of this latest atrocity.Who will stand for human rights? And when?

It is our duty now to stand strong and to condemn aggressive violation of human rights by the Israeli Government. We demand the complete restoration of Muslim authority to the holy site and the immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from the eastern side of Holy city of Jerusalem.

Please share and invite all your contacts

Thank you

Tarek Ramadan

The Future of Al-Aqsa, the Future of Palestine

Jul 24, 2017 at 12:00 AM

In a heroic act of resistance, Palestinian worshippers in Jerusalem refuse to go through metal detectors to enter the Holy Sanctuary and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Placed by Israel following the killing of two Israeli soldiers who were manning a checkpoint leading to the Sanctuary, the metal detectors are an act of provocation, challenging the Palestinian Muslim authorities who govern the Sanctuary and Palestinian sovereignty in this holy site.

Anyone who doubts Israel’s awesome ability to manipulate other countries’ public servants should examine the outcome of a complaint of mine to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) regarding the false labeling of two West Bank settlement wine products on Ontario liquor store shelves.

EVERY PEOPLE elevate the profession in which they excel.

If a person in the street were asked to name the area of enterprise in which we Israelis excel, his answer would probably be: Hi-Tech. And indeed, in this area we have recorded some impressive achievements. It seems as if hardly a day passes without an Israeli start-up company that was born in a garage being sold for hundreds of millions. Little Israel is one of the major hi-tech powers in the world.

But the profession in which Israel is not only one of the biggest, but the unchallenged Numero Uno is: liquidations.

This week this was proven once again. The Hebrew verb "lekhassel" - liquidate - in all its grammatical forms, currently dominates our public discourse. Respected professors debate with academic solemnity when to "liquidate" and whom. Used generals discuss with professional zeal the technicalities of "liquidation", its rules and methods. Shrewd politicians compete with each other about the number and status of the candidates for "liquidation".

INDEED, FOR a long time now there has not been such an orgy of jubilation and self-congratulation in the Israeli media as there was this week. Every reporter, every commentator, every political hack, every transient celeb interviewed on TV, on the radio and in the newspapers, was radiant with pride. We have done it! We have succeeded! We have "liquidated" Imad Mughniyeh!